Environment & Science

This week marks the start of astronomical winter which began with the December solstice, Sunday morning just after 10 a.m. EST.

While the penguins were taken off exhibit, barnyard birds and waterfowl at Lehigh Valley Zoo were shuffled to different enclosures so visitors could still view them.

Wind Gap will get a $130,000 state grant to help fund a new, larger pavilion at the borough's municipal park, officials announced Thursday.

Thousands were in the dark in Lehigh and Northampton counties as thunder rumbled and lighting flashed Friday afternoon in parts of the Lehigh Valley. Wind gusts reached more than 50 mph.

In its review, the LVPC said the data center proposal lacks specificity needed to fully review the project in Upper Macungie Township.

The state Game Commission is coordinating a response, which includes "safe removal, testing and disposal" of the impacted birds.

In addition to advancing the sewage plan, committee members also discussed the ongoing trail gap inventory and analysis, as well as voted in next year's chair and vice chair.

December temperatures in the Lehigh Valley have plunged far enough below normal to make even seasoned winter residents take notice.

The money is earmarked to help pay for a $20 million facility to treat water from Crystal Spring, one of Allentown’s four major water sources, according to city officials.

This week, Brad Klein and Marty McGuire take a look at Orion — the constellation most associated with the winter sky.

Sunday could be mostly a washout, with showers and the potential for heavy rainfall in the forecast throughout the day. Things are looking up, though, for later in the week.

The 17-year-old Allentown Central Catholic senior has been monitoring the creek's surface lead concentrations, and plans to continue researching.

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

Easton City residents can recycle their old, outdated electronics and appliances at 500 Bushkill Drive this Saturday. Most items can be recycled for free, while some others require a small fee.

It could take two weeks to fix operational issues at Kline’s Island Wastewater Treatment Plant on Union Street. Officials described the sewer odor as an ‘"earthy" or "rotten egg" smell, but said it is not harmful to human health.

This first round of designations included 483 tracts across the country, with only one in the Lehigh Valley. Officials said additional designations are slated for the next 12 to 18 months.

The eighth Martin's Guitar Wood Summit was held Thursday at Martin & Co. in Nazareth. The main topic centered on sustainability of forests that provide wood used for guitar construction.

Utilities reported thousands of customers without power early Friday in the Lehigh Valley after severe weather swept through the region Thursday night, and forecasters say another round of storms is on the way.

The storms on Thursday took out power across PPL's entire service area, spanning central and eastern Pennsylvania.

As the Lehigh Valley and beyond face extreme weather, officials shared weatherization techniques and options to make homes more energy efficient through federal funding.

A colony with tens of thousands of honeybees was removed Wednesday from beneath the roof of the government building. The honeybee population is shrinking. James Zdepski is looking to change that.

The dry, scorching start to September will slowly begin to ease on Thursday as severe weather takes aim at the Lehigh Valley.